In recent years there has been a great deal of research and development into unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly referred to as “drones”. These drones are typically but not always small quadcopters i.e. a multirotor helicopter that is lifted and propelled by four rotors. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that these drones potentially pose a threat, both to the privacy and security of the public.
Drones such as those described above can be readily purchased at a wide variety of high street electronics retailers, as well as via the Internet, with little to no scrutiny from the authorities. There has been much discussion regarding the fact that these drones could be used for nefarious purposes, for example being used to carry explosive, biological or radioactive material. There are also privacy concerns, given that these drones may be equipped with surveillance equipment such as cameras and/or microphones that may be used to spy on members of the public or private establishments.
Moreover, these drones are often very small and typically flown at such a low altitude that conventional aircraft detection systems are unable to locate them. The Applicant has appreciated that it would be highly beneficial to detect, classify and track such unmanned aerial vehicles.